Everyman 3,712

by

The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3712.

The standard issue Everyman, with nothing that I found difficult, but the usual sound construction and surfaces.

Across
1 SURFEIT Excess force in confident appeal (7)
An envelope (‘in’) of F (‘force’) in SURE (‘confident’) plus IT (sex ‘appeal’).
5 AFFAIR Answer following reasonable concern (6)
A charade of A (‘answer’) plus F (‘following’) plus FAIR (‘reasonable’).
10 ROAST Be uncomfortably hot while in bunk (5)
An envelope (‘in’) of AS (‘while’) in ROT (‘bunk’).
11 EQUERRIES Royal attendants echo doubts about king (9)
An envelope (‘about’) of R (rex, ‘king’) in E (‘echo’, radio code for the letter) plus QUERIES (‘doubts’).
12 INSULAR Narrow-minded snub, ignoring conclusion by revolutionary artist (7)
A charade of INSUL[t] (‘snub’) minus its last letter (‘ignoring conclusion’) plus AR, a reversal (‘revolutionary’) of RA (‘artist’).
13 RAILING Barrier formed by river, not well (7)
A charade of R (‘river’) plus AILING (‘not well’).
14 HIDDEN AGENDA Engine dad had designed for secret purpose (6,6)
An anagram (‘designed’) of ‘engine dad had’.
18 STAGE-MANAGED Carefully controlled step by chap getting on (5-7)
A charade of STAGE (‘step’) plus MAN (‘chap’) plus AGED (‘getting on’).
21 DEFUNCT No longer working in December, time filled with merriment (7)
An envelope (‘filled with’) of FUN (‘merriment’) in DEC (‘December’) plus T (time’).
22 SUPPOSE Fancy duck followed by seconds in endless meal (7)
An envelope (‘in’) of O (‘duck’) plus S (‘seconds’) in SUPPE[r] (‘meal’) minus its last letter (‘endless’).
24 AVAILABLE Free article, almost useless, with large fit (9)
A charade of A (indefinite ‘article’) plus VAI[n] (‘useless’) minus its last letter (‘almost’) plus L (‘large’) plus ABLE (‘fit’).
25 PLANE Tree without decoration by the sound of it (5)
A homophone (‘by the sound of it’) of PLAIN (‘without decoration’).
26 STEADY Dates, not normally variable, fixed (6)
A charade of STEAD, an anagram (‘not normally’) of ‘dates’, plus Y (algebraic ‘variable’).
27 STRATUS Cloud level about right (7)
An envelope (‘about’) of R (‘right’) in STATUS (‘level’).
Down
1 STRAIGHT Spectacle involving skill coming up directly (8)
An envelope (‘involving’) of TRA, a reversal (‘coming up’ in a down light) in SIGHT (‘spectacle’).
2 RHAPSODY Spy hoard, stirred to make expression of ecstasy (8)
An anagram (‘stirred’) of ‘spy hoard’
3 EXTOL Praise text, old-fashioned to some extent (5)
A hidden answer (‘to some extent’) in ‘tEXT OLd-fashioned’.
4 THE GREAT GATSBY Novel gag, hasty, better after revision (3,5,6)
An anagram (‘after revision’) of ‘gag, hasty, better’, for F Scott Fitzgerald’s work.
6 FORBIDDEN In favour of effort, study taboo (9)
A charade of FOR (‘in favour of’) plus BID (‘effort’) plus DEN (‘study’).
7 ACIDIC Sour account about police department on island (6)
An envelope (‘about’) of CID (‘police’) plus I (‘island’) in AC (‘account’).
8 RESIGN Extend contract or quit (6)
Double definition, the first as re-sign.
9 QUARTERMASTERS Supply officers in region on planet disrupted by alien’s rising (14)
An envelope (‘disrupted by’) of TE, a reversal (‘rising’ in a down light) of ET (‘alien’) in QUARTER (‘region’) plus MARS (‘planet’)
15 ENTANGLED Involved in goal, securing team’s first corner (9)
An envelope (‘securing’) of T (‘Team’s first’) plus ANGLE (‘corner’) in END (‘goal’).
16 IGNORANT Upset about soldier with angry speech lacking knowledge (8)
A charade of IGNO, a reversal (‘upset’ in a down light) of ON (‘about’) plus GI (‘soldier’); plus RANT (‘angry speech’).
17 IDLENESS Unravelling lies, ends inactivity (8)
An anagram (‘unravelling’) of ‘lies, ends’.
19 IDEALS Principles one compromises? (6)
A charade of I (‘one’) plus DEALS (‘compromises’).
20 EFFACE Erase error initially supported by very loud expert (6)
A charade of E (‘Error initially’) plus FF (fortissimo, ‘very loud’) plus ACE (‘expert’).
23 PAPER Assistant for each essay (5)
A charade of PA (personal ‘assistant’) plus PER (‘for each’).
completed grid

11 comments on “Everyman 3,712”

  2. Thank you Everyman and PeterO.

    An enjoyable puzzle. I was only held up for a while by 4d, having got THE GREAT, MEAULNES first came to my mind, but would not fit, or parse, of course.

  4. I think that the relatively small number of comments on the Everyman crosswords, compared to the weekday/prize puzzles, is a tribute to the setter. The precision of the clueing, and the smooth surfaces, provide very little, if any, ammunition for criticism or debate.
    I’m not against a frank exchange of views on contentious clueing matters, but the Sunday solve to me is always a pleasant and welcome change.
    Thanks PeterO for the blog, and keep up the good work, Everyman.

  5. First Kiwi today in the holidays so many must be away perhaps grateful to be in locations with no access to internet – does everyone good to be without it

    Thoroughly enjoyed this and as usual learnt at least one new concept – a new word ‘rot’ for bunk. Totally new to me. Surprised myself by getting all the way finished without resorting to turning on mr google and then to check whatever a  quartermaster was and the names of the clouds – Couldn’t get cirrus out of the head.

  6. Nice, thank you Everyman and Peter O. A little gentler than those of late. The fancy duck was my favourite clue. And as Greensward says, nothing to pick holes in.

  9. A busy weekend so only took two stabs at it but this was enough to get all bar 11ac. Not a word I’ve heard of so struggled with it. Last crossie for the year so wishing Everyman, woman and child the best for next year. 🙂

  10. Rats. You must have heard of an equerry. Princess Margaret wanted to marry one, Peter Townsend, who was equerry to her father, but wasn’t allowed. Don’t you remember?

  11. As usual just finishing my Sunday afternoon treat….enjoyable puzzle. Knew equerry after watching the Queen! Rot also got me for a while…

Comments are closed.